Cleaning and  sterilizing device



June 21,1938. v, sw 2,121,307

CLEANING AND STERILQIZING DEVICE Q Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l n a I I a I a n a I I I I I a p a a M a June 21, 1938. v, WIFT 2,121,307

CLEANING AND STERILIZING DEVICE Filed Aug. s, 1956 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 all l r ,IW I I I I i I I,

W- a-QW; V\ p 1 u 21 6 Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,121,307 CLEANING AND STERILIZING DEVICE Lionel V. Swift, Oklahoma City, Okla. Application August 3, 1936, Serial No. 94,106

6 Claims.

This invention relates to sterilizers and more particularly to a device especially designed for holding, cleaning and sterilizing dental and other ,surgical instruments.

The object of the invention is to provide a sterilizing device of simple and inexpensive construction by means of which all kinds of surgical tools may be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized and supported in convenient position for instant A removal and use when performing different kinds of dental or surgical operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer comprising a container adapted to receive a liquid sterilizing agent and provided 15 with coacting brushes between which the dental or surgical instruments are inserted and removed, the top of the container being provided with tool receiving openings and the side walls of said container near the bottom thereof being transparent so as to render the working ends of the tools or instruments visible at all times and thus enable the operator to select any desired tool.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sterilizing device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with a portion of the cover broken away to show the interior construction of the container.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View.

Figure 4 is a transverse'sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

. Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional View M taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The improved sterilizing device forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises a vessel or other suitable container 5 preferably formed of glass and having its upper end normally open and over which is fitted a detachable cover plate 6. The cover plate is provided with a longitudinal row of spaced openings l of different sizes through which dental or surgical instruments may be inserted within the container for the purpose of cleaning and sterilizing the same. Disposed within the container in spaced relation to the cover 8 are coacting cleaning elements 8 arranged in a vertical plane and each comprising an elongated bar preferably formed of hard rubber having embedded therein longitudinal and transverse metallic reinforcing strips 9 and I0. Projecting inwardly from the inner face of each bar 8 are rubber bristles H, the inner ends of which are disposed in close contact with each other so as to thoroughly clean the instruments as they are inserted or withdrawn from the container. If desired, however, the cleaning elements may be provided with hair or fiber bristles. The bars of the cleaning elements 8 are held in proper parallel relation to each other by means of terminal connecting bars i2 carrying outwardly bowed spring clips l3 which fit in correspondingly shaped shallow seats M formed in the inner wall of the container, as best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Arranged immediately below the cleaning elements 3 is a guide plate 15 having openings l6 formed therein which are alined with the openings in the cover plate 6 and serve to receive and support the lower ends of the dental tools or surgical instruments being sterilized. The plate I5 is preferably formed of a non-corrosive metal and projecting from the opposite ends thereof are spaced lugs ll over which are fitted outwardly bowed springs l8 adapted to enter seating recesses l formed in the inner wall of the container immediately below the seating recesses for the springs of the cleaning elements. By depressing the springs l3 and i8, both the cleaning elements and lower guide plate may be released from their seats so as to permit ready withdrawal of said parts for the purpose of boiling or otherwise cleaning the same when necessary.

The container is adapted to be filled or partially filled with a liquid disinfectant and sterilizing agent, indicated at 20, and it is preferred that the level of the liquid sterilization agent be slightly above the upper ends of the cleaning elements so as to insure thorough sterilization of the tools or surgical instruments. As previously stated, the container 5 is preferably formed of glass and in constructing the container the glass at the upper portion of the container is ground or otherwise rendered opaque, as indicated at 2!, while the glass at the lower end of the container is transparent so that the active or working ends of the tools inserted within the sterilizer will be visible at all times and thus enable the operator to select the desired tool necessary to perform a certain operation.

The cover plate 6 is provided with terminal depending spring catches 22 which enter sockets 23 formed in the end walls of the container so as to permit the cover plate to be readily removed when desired.

In using the device, the dental tools or surgical instruments are inserted in the openings 1 in the cover plate 6 and forced downwardly within the container. As the instruments enter the container, the rubber bristles II will contact with the instruments and thus efiectually remove blood and other debris deposited thereon so as to render the instruments clean and sanitary, and this cleaning action is augmented owing to the fact that the instruments are immersed in the liquid disinfectant and sterilizing agent within the container. As the instruments are withdrawn from the container, they will again be subjected to the brushing action of the cleaning elements 8 so that a thorough cleaning and sterilization of said instruments is positively assured.

A rubber ring or gasket 24 is preferably secured to the lower surface of the cover plate 6 at the edge or rim thereof and contacts with the upper edge of the container so that When the cover plate is clamped in closed position, the container will be sealed and spilling of the liquid contents thereof effectually prevented.

The containers are preferably made of sufficient size to permit their use on small operating tables or on a bracket attached to a dental unit or wall. It will be understood, however, that the containers may be made in any desired size or shape and that the openings in the cover plate and guide plate, as well as the size of the brushing and cleaning elements, may be varied according to the size or type of surgical tools to be sterilized.

A device constructed in accordance with the present invention will effectually clean'and sterilize all kinds of dental and surgical instruments so that the operator is assured that when he selects an instrument from the container it will be thoroughly sterilized and all danger of infection when performing an operation eliminated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a container adapted to receive a sterilizing agent, a cover forming a closure for the top of the container and provided with openings, coacting brushes disposed beneath the openings in the cover, and a guide plate arranged beneath the brushes and having openings therein alined with the openings in the cover.

2. A device of the class described comprising a container having the upper portion of its walls opaque and the lower portion transparent, a cover fitted to the container and having openings formed therein, coacting brushing elements arranged Within the container beneath the openings in the cover, and a guide plate detachably fitted in the container beneath the brushing elements and provided with openings alined with the openings in the cover whereby when a surgical instrument is inserted within the container through said openings, the working end of said instrument will be visible through the transparent walls of the container.

3. A device of the class described comprising a container adapted to receive a liquid sterilizing agent and having its inner walls provided with upper and lower sets of seating grooves, a perforated cover forming a closure for the top of the container, coacting brushing elements arranged beneath the perforations in the cover, spring clips carried by the brushing elements and seated in the upper set of grooves, a guide plate arranged below the brushing elements and provided with perforations disposed in alinement with the perforations in the cover and terminal spring clips carried by the guide plate and fitted in the lower set of grooves.

4. A device of the class described comprising a container adapted to receive a liquid sterilizing agent and having its inner walls provided with oppositely disposed seating grooves, a cover plate forming a closure for the upper end of the container and provided with spaced openings, a cleaning element arranged beneath the openings in the cover plate and comprising spaced vertically disposed bars havingbristles projecting from the inner faces thereof, and spring clips carried. by the opposite ends of the bars and yieldably seated in said grooves.

5. A device of the class described comprising a container adapted to receive a liquid sterilizing agent, a cover plate forming a closure for the top of the container and having openings formed therein, a cleaning and brushing element disposed within the container below the openings in the cover plate and comprising spaced vertically disposed bars having intersecting longitudinal and transverse reinforcing elements embedded therein and provided at their inner faces with rubber bristles adapted to receive a surgical instrument between them, spring clips carried by the bars and adapted to detachably engage seating grooves in the inner Wall of the container, a guide plate disposed beneath the cleaning element and having openings therein registering with the openings in the cover plate, and means for detachably securing the guide plate Within the container.

6. A device of the class described comprising a container having upper and lower sets of seating grooves formed in the inner wall thereof, and a single set of grooves formed in its outer wall, a cover forming a closure for the top of the container and having a longitudinal row of openings of different sizes formed therein, spring clips secured to the opposite ends of the cover plate and engaging the single set of grooves in the outer wall of the container, coacting brushing elements having their brushing surfaces disposed in a vertical plane immediately below the openings in the cover plate, resilient clips carried by the brushing elements and adapted to detachably engage the upper set of seating grooves in the inner wall of the container, a guide plate disposed beneath the brushing elements and having openings therein disposed in alinement with the openings in the cover plate, and resilient elements carried by the opposite ends of the guide plates and adapted to detachably engage the lower set of seating grooves in said container.

LIONEL V. SWIFT. 

